Grain-chute.



E. A. MUNN & 0. L. PLUMTREE.

GRAIN CHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. ze. 1909.

` 945,975, Patented Jan. 11,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. A. MUNN & 0. L. PLUMTRBE.

GRAIN CHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED 19213.26, 1'909.

Patented Jan. 11,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

--Illlllllllll E. A. MUNN & 0. L. PLUMTREE.

GRAIN CHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED IEB. 26, 1909.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

EDWARD A. MUNN AND OLIVER L. PLUMTREE, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; SAID PLUMTREE ASSIGNOR TO SAID MUNN.

GRAIN-CHUTE.'

70 all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that we, EDWARD A. MUNN and OLIVER' L. PLUMTREnvcitizens of the United States, both residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful 1inrovements in Grain-Chutes, of which the ollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in grain chutes, and refers more particularly to improvements in that type of grain chutes which are used in elevators for transferring grain from one common bin or Asource of supply to any one of a-considerablenumber of other bins or chutes located below and communicating with the Hoor over which the lower end of the chute is adapted to traverse, in short, the device is a grain-distributing chute.

Among the salient objects of the present invention ai'e to provide improvements in the details of construction whereby the upper end of the chute is connected with the discharge of the bin above in such manner as to minimize the amount of-vertical space necessary to such connection, and in this manner reduce the height of that story of the elevator in which the chute operates; to provide improved details of construction in the mechanism which supports and connects the upper end of the chute with a rotary vdischarge, -which permits the chute to be adjusted in all lateral directions and at the same time provides for changing the angle of inclination of the chute through relatively Wide limits; to provide improved details of construction of the mechanism constituting the discharge end of the chute whereby the latter is more economically constructed land more readily manipulated in adjusting it into position to communicate with agiven bin or receiving chute; to provide an improved telescoping connection between the lower end'of thechute andthe carriage which supports the latter whereby changes in the angle of inclination of the chute may be made without opening or unsealing thel joint; to provide a mechanism which may be very economically manufactured because of its peculiar details of construction, and which is both eiicient and durable in operation, and in general to provide an improved apparatus of the character referred to.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application led February 2B, 1909. Serial No. 480,165.

Patented J an.v 11,

Tov the above ends the inventionv consists in the matters hereinafterydescribed, and more particularly pointed out' in theappended claims.

In the drawings-'Figure l is a view in side elevation of a grain chute constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention;

p Fig. 2 isa detail showing in bottom plan the' telescopic apron-like connection between the lower end of the chute and the carriage therefor; a portion of the base plate being shown in section; Fig. 3 is a detail ofthe parts'shown in Fig. 2, taken at right angles,

to the lattei figure; Fig. 4 is a crcss section ofthe chute, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3' and looking in the direction ofthe arrows; Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view through a lateral one-half of the chute, taken onv line 3*5 of' Fig. yl; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through the telescoping portions of the chiite, taken approximately on linee-t5 oi' 'Fig 5 and looking in the directioniof the arrows; Fig. 7 1s a plan View of the lower end of the chute and carriage therefor; Fig.

8 is a detail, taken approximately on indirect line 8-8 of Fig. 7 and looking' in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 9 is a sectional detail taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on line 10-10 of Fig. 7; Fig. l1 is a top plan view of the receiving end of the chute, detached; Fig. 12 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of the upper end of the chute and its swiveling connections; Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 12 and looking in the direction of the arrows`;'Fig. Li is a radial sectional view through one side of the swiveling connections of the chute; Fig. 15 is a side elevation of a. modified construction of'the'lower end of the chute; Fig. 16 is a sectional detail taken on line 1G-l6 of Fig. 15. y

Referring to the drawings, l and 2, respectively, designate the upper and lower main sections of the grain chute, 3 designates as a whole the swiveling connections bywhich the upper end of the chute is connccted to the bottom of the overhead bin'cr other source of grain supply, and 4 `designates as a whole the carriage which sup ports the 'lower end of the chute.

The chute 1s rectangular in crrss section throughout its main length, as best seen in 2 i I' i 945,975

Figs. 5 and 6; .the lower'xnember 2 being arranged to telescope over and upon the,

` other, we have providedy a novel construe? tion which is substantially as follows: upon I. the outside of the side walls of the section 1, preferably about midwidth of each wall,

is riveted or otherwise permanently'se'cure'd A an anale-iron, track member 5; .the longer web o? the'angle being arranged to stand outwardlypperpendicular to the side vwall of the chute Vand forming a track. So also,.

, within the llower angle, between the bottom and each side wall of the lower chute section'2,l isnsecured an angular track member 2O 6;4 the lower web of whichconstitues the track proper. .To cooperate with these track rails there is mounted upon each chute member an antifriction wheel or roller, as 7 and` '8, respective-ly. The rollerl 7 is journaled '11 on the inside of the lower vchute section,

a jacent to the upper extremityof the lat ter, between a suitable bracket 9 and the f inner face of the sidewall or' the chute and upon a. journal stud 10 extendingthrougb these arts. ,In a somewhat similar manner thew eel or roller 8 is journaled upon the outside of the upper member 1 adjacent to the lower extremity of the latter, between a bracket l1 andl the outer face of theside wall and upon ajournal stud 12 inserted through these parts.

To prevent one chute member from being withdrawn from the other entirely, we pro.-

vide a peculiar limiting stop for each ofthe rollers7; said lstop being designated 13 (see Fig. 6) and being formed of a piece of strap metal bolted to extend along the under side of the track member 5, turned upwardly around the lower extremity of the latter and above the track ledge bent intov an upstanding stop proper 13', adapted to enga e and arrest the downward movement o the roller 7. The length of the strap is sutlicient to permit its attached end to extend beyond the end of the outer or lower section 2 when the members of the chute are fully extended, so that the attached end is 'freely exposed and the stop may be attached or detachedconveniently.

' 55 The swiveling connection or turn-head at the upper end of the chute comprises as its A.Jriain feature a short, stationary coupling member square in cross-section, with chamfered corners 14, provided at its upper end 50 lwith outstanding lugs or cars l5' located .centrally of the sides and having bolt apertures and adapted lo be secured against the under side of the bin in register with the opening of the latter, and a lower coupling member comprising a hopper-like swiveling -tional areaJ for the tlow of grain permitted member 16 which is rotatably connected with the member 14. To provide for assembling and'connecting these parts,the

.member 16 isof two-part construction. com`- prismg a. main lower part 17 and a detach- 70 able upper solid or continuous ring 18. The.

lmember 14 has at its lower end a radial'v i flange-like extension 14 in the upper edge,

near the periphery of which is formed a ball-groove 19, and at'the lower exterior 75 .angle a race-way 20. In the upper face of the lower member 17 in register witlvthe race-way 2() is formeda ball-groovef21, and the rlng 18 hasa'tlange-like extension 22 at its upper inner perimeter whichbverlies and rests u on the balls in the race 19.

' Parts 17 an 18 are rigidly united by means of a plurality of bolts 23 inserted through the peripheral portions of the lsame. In

assembling these parts the balls are placed i.

in the respective grooves 19 and 21, the ring y 18 then passed downwardly over the hase lugs 15 of the member 14 and bolted to the lower' part 17 Thereafter the swiveling connection as la whole is bolted to the bin.` 9() f.,

.It will be noted byret'erence to Fig..11 that thevinternalgdiameter of the flange 22 of ring 18 is of a size sutlicient to pass the fastening lugs 415. Among other advantages which the square stationary coupling4 95 section 14 possesses may be mentioned the4 fact that, by locating the` lugs 15 centrally. r of the sides thereof, a` maximum cross-sec-l'` by the internal diameter of the bearing iange 22 of the coupling rin 18 is obtained, such area being considerab yy greater than would be-possible by a circular coupling memberhaving radially projecting fastening lugs limited by the diameter of the bearing flange 22. The square construction also enables an overhead hopper spout or chute to be located either centrally or'at anyone of four different inclined positions relatively to the section 14.- The employment of a continuous ring and bearing ilange that will pass down over the section 14 and its fastening lugs has a three-fold advanl tage. It reduces the number of partsyit facilitates the assembling of the parts, and it produces a smooth continuous and unbroken bearing which prolongs the lifeof the balls. l

The depending hopper-like extension of the member 17 is of semi-cylindric form 120 and has two segmental cylindric side walls,` designated 24, 24', and two fiat and parallel end walls 25, as shown clearly in Fig. 11; the opening 26 leading to the chute being of a length equal to the full distance between the two parallel end walls and of a width somewhat less than the length, as also shown clearly in Fig. 11. The segmental side 24 next to the upper side of the receiving end of the chute is somewhat shorter than the Iextremityoi" the chute so thaty the chute maybe opposite side,

approximately vertical 'enlar ement or hopper 27 which lits over the outsi e of the member 17' of the swiveling connection. As best shown in Figs. 12 and 13,'-the extremity of the chute is by a strap-like bail 28, the end portions of y which and the end walls of the hopperare pierced to fit upon journal studs 29 seated 1n t e parallel end walls 25 of the member 17 in a. plane coincident with the upper edges of the cylindric portion24, 24', of said memleo.

u outside of each side the chute is suitably vand to this end a slip-ring 40 ber. The usual washers and pins a'nd 31, res ectively, serve to hold the parts united.

escribing now the construction ot' the carriage and connected parts at the 'lower end of the chute, the carriage 4' comprises a suitable base plate casting 32, provided with a central opening 33, at opposite sides thereof with parallel opstanding side walls 34 which embrace the corresponding side walls of the lower end of the chute, and a ',connected front' Wally 35. The terminal porftionof the upper wall of segmental form- 1n cross section, and the 'front wall"35 is curvedto correspond therethe chute is of to, 'as shown clearly in Fig'.-10. Upon `the wall of the lower end of riveted or otherwise secured a short trunnion, as 37, of relatively large diameter; these trun'nions being engaged with suitable bearing apertures formed 1n the side walls 34 of the carriage casting. The base casting 32 is furthermore provided with radially extending caster arms 38, there being three in the present instance, arranged at divergent angles, and'each havingat its :end a caster, as 39, so mounted as to swivel in the usual manner and-support the carria e free from the floor. Y .l 5-

Y ifter the carriage has -beenj-brought into register with an opening in the floor, it is desirable to make a substantiall, sealed joint between the` carriage and the fiber opening, is mounted upon the cylindric periphery of the loase plate 32, and means are provided for raising or lowering this slip-ring a limited distance.

The slip-ring is provided with an outer stopring 41, which limits the extent to which the slip-ring can enter lthe opening in the tioor when permitted to descend. At each of the three angularly separated points of the sli c I ring 40 is rigidly secured a plate 42 (see Figs. 8 and 9), and through each plate is formed an inclined slot 43. In the cylindric flange 32 of the base casting are seated corresponding studs 44 which carry anti-friction rollers 45 arranged to travel in the correspondingr slots 43. The lower end of each slot 43 is slightly notched at its upper side posicomparatively l s ight dle 47 is pivotally j otherwand thus raised or of the cam action between the inclined slots reinforced.

/ face 56 -upon the upper end of the correroller 45 is engaged with said notch all tendency of the slip-ring to rotate relatively to the carriage is prevented. A lever-like hanconnected with the sli f ring at the front side thereof whereby t e j latter may be forced around one way or the lowered by reason and .the antifriction rollers. j

Describing next the telescopic apron-like connection between the lower side of the l chute and the carriage, 48 designates an apron of the full width of the lower side of the chute, and at its edges turned upwardly to embrace the sides of the chute to some extent. This apron is hinged at its lower end, as indicated at 49, to the base casting adjacent to the opening, through the latter and arranged to rest and slide upon thel bottom side of the chute. The ,upper end of this j apron .is reinforced by a bail-like strap 50, the 'ends of which project beyond the side edges of the apron and are internally grooved, as indicated at 51, and engage parallel ribs 52 secured upon the respective sides of the chute. -In order to maintain a dpstproof joint between the stationary arts o t rubber or analogous packing strips 34a and j 35 are secured upon the upper edges of the walls 34, 34 and 35, respectively having their edges arranged. to bear against the corresponding walls of the chute.

Describing the modification shown in Figs. 15 and 16, the vchanges reside only in the mechanism by which the slip-ring is raised j and lowered. In this construction there are cast upon the opposite sides of the main` earriage casting, bearing sleeves 53, through which are arranged to work studs 54 having their lower` ends connected with the slip-ring 40. To the upper end of each stud 54 is pivoted a lcam 55the cam edge of which rests against and copera'tes with a cam sursponding sleeve. These cams'have handle extensions whereby they may be operated in an'obvious manner; said handles being preferably connected to form a bail so as to be niovedtoge'ther.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the several objects of the invention j hereinbefore stated-are fully attained. The adoption of the spout members which are rectangular, or substantially rectangular, in cross-section is accompanied with many dis l tinetive advantages, notably, it has been determined that in the case of the rectangular l chute which delivers the grain downen ineline, the grain flows in a stream of even depth` or approximately so, over the entire area of the bottom of the chute. and there is l comparatively little retardation by the fric l tion of the grain with the side walls. In

land-as indicated at 46, so that' when e carriage and the adjustable c ute, A

contradistinction, in a circular chute, the stream is. deepest at the center of the stream y and the'unequal pressure upon the flowing 'mass causes an unevenness of flow, which brings about a retardation of the stream as a whole, so that the rectangular chute will deliver a considerably larger percentage of grain, other conditions being equal. The'extension of thisrectangular'principle to the swiveling connection or turn-head possesses the further advantage'of shortening the ver-l tical dimension of the turn-head and thus enabling the use of a longer chute for a given inclination-and height of room, because it avoids the loss of both vertical and transverse space incidental tothe coupling of rectangular 'with' `circular sections, and vice versa.

The adoption of the rectangular form of chutek also enablesthe use of antifriction wheels-of relatively large diameter, and narrow or axially'short, since the wheels may be disposed between the parallel side Walls, as

" described. Moreover, it is obvious that these antifriction wheels constitute the supports which'take the bendin moment upon the telescoping sections, an since they are arranged in the same vertical plane, and laterally remote from each other, the rigidity and strength of the telescopiiig connection are'made the maximum. This rigidity is enhancedby the track rails, which in this construction -do not materially increase the size or cost of the chute.

The extremely shortI swiveling connection -of the present construction is of manifest importance; because in grain elevators the height ofthat story in which the grain-distributing chute is located is positively determined bythe height necessary to accomf -modate the grain chute, and since the minimum degree of inclination isa practically fixed quantity, it follows that the shorter the swiveling connection the less height a story need be, other conditions being equal.

The several details which constitute features of improvementare of obvious value without specilic mention.

` `We claim as our invention:

'1. In a grain chute, the combination with two tel'escoping sections, of a track rail mounted upon the exterior of one of said sections and extending along the latter to a point within the permanently telescoped ing a short stationary coupling'v member adapted to be secured at its upper end di rect y to the bottom of the grain receptacle and provided on its lower end with a radial flange-like extension forming a circular bearing member, and a rotatable coi'ipling member having a substantially V'semi-Lylindrical body-portion with an open lower side, parallel flat end walls, and an outwardly flared upper side formed with za circular bearing member adapted to engage with, and support said rotary coupling member from, the circular bearing of said stationary coupling member, in combination with a chute section of rectangular cross-'section .formed with straight lower and side walls throughout its length and an outwardly bent upper wall section at its upper end, said grain chute sectionat its upper end vbeing pivotally connected to said rotatable coupling member and having sealed engagement with the'end and side walls thereof in all angular positions thereof.

3. A turn-head for grain chutes, comprising a short stationary coupling member adapted to be secured at its upper end to the bottom of the grain receptacle and provided on its lower end with a radial flange-like extension forming a. circular bearing member, a rotatable coupling member having a 'circular upper peripheral portion fitting upon the flange-like extension of the upper member, provided with a substantially rectangular throat or passage terminating in ak substantially semi-cylindrical body portion openv at its lower side and having parallel flat end walls, the maximum diameter of the lsemicylindrical portion being not substantially greater than the width of thev ,passage through said stationary coupling member, in combination with a chute-section of rectangular cross-section having a lflared end portion closely fitting the exterior of the cylindrical portion of said rotatable coupling member and pivoted to the parallel end walls of the latter.

4. A turn-head for grain chutes, comprising a short stationary coupling member adapted to be secured at its upper end to the bottom of the grain receptacle and kprovided on its lower end with a radial flange-like .extensionforming a circular bearing member, a rotatable coupling member having a substantially semi-cylindrical bodyl portion with an open lower side, parallel at end walls, and an outwardly flared upper'side formed with a circular bearing member'adapted to engage with, and support said rotary coupling member from. the circular bearing of said stationary coupling member, in combination with a chute-section of rectangular crosssection having straight lower and side walls throughout. its length and anoutivardly bent upper top wall section and pivoted through its side walls to the end walls of said roi'io tatable vcoupling member, said lower wall and the outwardly bent sections of said upper Wall having in all positions of the chute a substantially rtangential bearing upon the cylindrical Walls ot' said rotatable coupling member.

5. A turn-head for grain chutes, comprising in combination a short stationary coupling member square in cross-section having at its upper end radially projecting lugs on the side Walls thereof whereby it is adapted to be secured to the bottom of the grain receptacle and provided on its lower end With a circular radial flange-like extension forming a circular bearing member, and a rotatable coupling member comprising a hopperlike body formed at its upper end With a peripheral flange extending beyond the periphery of said circular bearing member, and a continuous or solid ring bolted to said flange and provided on'its upper side with an internal flange forming a rotatable bearing member and coperating With said circular bearing member, the internal diameter of said flange being ,sufficient to permit said ring to be slipped bodily into operative position over the upper end of said stationary coupling member, and its lower side presenting a smooth continuous bearing surface.

6. In a grain chute, a tubular member adapted to be connected to the bottom of a grain receptacle, a hopper-like member journaled upon the lower end of said tubular member and having opposed segmentalcylindric side walls and other opposed parallel side Walls, and a delivery spout pivotally connected with the hopper member upon a transverse axis substantially coincident with the center of the cylindric segments of the latter, and the end margins of which spout substantially conform to the Walls of the hopper embraced thereby.

T. ln a grain chute, a tubular member adapted to be connected to the bottom of a grain receptacle, a hopper-like member journaled upon the lower end of said tubular member and having opposed segmentalc vlindric side Walls and other opposed parallel side walls, a delivery spoilt pivotally connected with the hopper member upon a transverse axis substantially coincident with the center of the cylindric segments of the latter and the end margins of which spoilt substantially conform to the Walls of the hopper embraced thereby, and a` yielding packing strip secured to the end lapping relation with said segmental lip of p the chute, and extensible connections between the lower side of the grain chute and the base casting.

9. In a grain chute, the combination with the delivery end of the grain spout, of a base casting provided with a delivery opening and parallel upstanding trunnion supporting Walls at each side of saiddelivery opening, trunnion-like pivot connections between said side Walls and the corresponding Walls of the grain spout, an apron hinged to the base casting and arranged to rest flatwise against the lower side of the spout, guideways upon the ,side Walls of the spout parallel with the bottom thereof, and lateral extensions upon said apron having sliding engagement with said guideways.

10. In a grain chute, the combination with the delivery end of the grain spout,

of a base casting provided with a deliveryv opening and upstanding trunnion-supporting walls at each side of said delivery opening, pivot connections between said side \valls and the corresponding Walls of the grain spout, a segmental-cylindric upstanding wa l upon-the base casting arranged in overlapping relation With a corresponding segmental lip at the upper side of the grain chute. an extensible overlapping joint at that side of the grain chute opposed to those segmental overlapping portions, a plurality of caster supports upon the base casting, and an extensible slip ring mounted upon the periphery of the casting and adapted to be lowered into a receiving aperture in the floor.

EDl/VARD A. MUN N. OLIVER L. PLUMTREE. W'itnesses:

ALBERT H. GRAVES, EMILIE ROSE. 

